In 430 BC, during the funeral of Athenian soldiers after the first battles of the Peloponnesian War, Athens’ leader Pericles made a speech on the glory of Athens and its democracy. Pericles argued the Athenians were a brilliant people who valued liberty, leisure, knowledge, and generosity. Pericles lauded Athens’ democratic system as fair and an... Continue Reading →
Aristotle (c. 384-322 BC) was an ancient Greek philosopher, perhaps the greatest in history. He invented the idea of separate academic disciplines, dipping his toes into philosophy, politics, ethics, biology, natural sciences, aesthetics, poetry, and metaphysics. In contrast to his master Plato, who focused on the ideal otherworld, Aristotle focused on the real, particular world.... Continue Reading →
In Plato’s Republic, Socrates discusses the philosopher king, ruler of his ideal city state of Kallipolis. He is the best suited to protect the state’s laws and institutions, hence his other name of the guardian. The philosopher king is wise, austere, and just. He learns the true Forms and how to implement them in his... Continue Reading →
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